Firefall Dies on Desktop, but Will Be Reborn on Mobile

Firefall, the sci-fi shooter MMO on PC, is shutting down its servers today. As reported by Polygon, the game had a turbulent history even before its release in 2014, with performance issues and layoffs at developer Red 5 Studios leading to CEO Mark Kern’s departure during the open beta. Unpaid employees and further layoffs in 2015 created an uncertain future for Firefall, which has officially reached its end today.

That is, at least on PC. Despite the company’s complicated past and ongoing struggles, their closure announcement came with one ray of hope: Red 5 claims they are “currently developing a mobile version of the game and all of Firefall’s founders and players will be rewarded greatly in the new game.” Whether they intend to create a fully-fledged mobile version of the MMO on mobile or a pared-down spin-off—and if they can even pull it off—remains to be seen.

If Firefall does make the transition intact, however, mobile players should be in for a fantastic experience. The majority of recent reviews of the game which give it an “overwhelmingly negative” score on Steam condemn its current state and the lack of developer support after Red 5 fell apart, not the gameplay itself. Fans have praised its combination of fast-paced shooter battles with the progression and world-building of an MMO as well as its dynamic PvE against human-hunting alien race the Chosen.

While the idea of being able to play a full MMORPG on mobile might have seem farfetched just a few years ago, games like Order & Chaos Online, DOFUS Touch, and the upcoming Albion Online have proven the platform’s potential in the genre. Adding Firefall to the roster will simply depend on Red 5 Studios more than anything else. Longtime players’ disappointment at losing Firefall on PC may not be pacified by a potential mobile version, but they will have another option: Em-8ER, the “spiritual successor” by ex-Firefall CEO Mark Kern, is currently seeking funding.